Is anyone else breaking choke knobs?

By Joe_dirtbiker, Posted January 23, 2006

I'd had an 03 WR450 for six months/1000miles. I bent my choke knob in an unintentional dismount this weekend. I've already replaced it once ($27 I believe). Is anyone else having this issue or do y'all keep the bike shiney side up? Does anyone know of an aftermarket knob? At this rate my choke knob is becoming a $100/year 'consumable'.

By kevin1209, Posted January 23, 2006

Sounds like bad luck to me. What did your bike land on to poke in there two different times? That takes a lot of talent

By Indy_WR450, Posted January 23, 2006

Never heard of that one? The only thing that happens to mine is the detent out position wears over time and engine vibration can turn the choke off.

By dbailey223, Posted January 23, 2006

By Koko Azuela, Posted January 24, 2006

By clark4131, Posted January 24, 2006

Yep, broke a piece off my choke, but it still works. I bought a back up and have it stashed for later...SC

By mtrablue, Posted January 24, 2006

i did it once. not sure what i hit or when. i can't figure out how i got something in there and didn't get speared. i was able to take it apart and straighten the shaft. peel the little sticker off and tap the shaft out of the knob. it'll all come apart from there. i drilled through the knob and shaft and put a cotter pin in when i put it back together. i didn't want the knob to come off in my hand. (bought a spare to be on the safe side)

By John M62, Posted January 24, 2006

I just bent mine, so I replaced it. I'm not sure how it happened. I was riding in very tight woods that day.

By nurooi, Posted January 24, 2006

Yip bent my double. Seems that if you take a dive off the bike over the right hand front, your boot will catch the knob / pull it out and bend it in half. Then when trying to straighten it, it snaps. I have ordered a new one but in the interrim just unscrew it and hold the spring and plunger out. Once the bike starts I screw it back in. Let it idle for awhile until the bike is warm and you will not need it again for the rest of your ride.

By Joe_dirtbiker, Posted January 24, 2006

Wow, thanks for all the response. Good to know I'm not the only one. The first bent knob I blamed on my buddy Adam for being a meathead when strapping down the bikes (guess I was wrong...). The second time I notice just when the knob got bent. Falling over the right side of the bike. I was starting to wonder if it was my boot that had bent the knob since I knew it wasn't anything I fell onto. Thanks for the confirmation nurooi.

I too modified the first bent choke knob. Tried to bend it back just before leaving for 5 Mile of Hell. It broke. I then put some grooves in the shaft with my dremel and used some safetywire to fashion a functional knob fascimilie.